Robert Rowell out as Warriors' president

WARRIORS Riley is last executive left from Cohan regime

Published 4:00 am, Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle

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Robert Rowell listened to a question about the Warriors losing season. Warriors president Robert Rowell introduced new General Manager Larry Riley at a press conference Tuesday May 12, 2009 at Oracle Arena.

Robert Rowell listened to a question about the Warriors losing season. Warriors president Robert Rowell introduced new General Manager Larry Riley at a press conference Tuesday May 12, 2009 at Oracle Arena.

Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle

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The Golden State Warriors General Manager, Larry Riley talks about the team's new Head Coach, Mark Jackson during a press conference at the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco, CA Friday, June 10, 2011. Warriors team owner, less

The Golden State Warriors General Manager, Larry Riley talks about the team's new Head Coach, Mark Jackson during a press conference at the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco, CA Friday, June 10, 2011. Warriors ... more

Photo: Erin Lubin, Special To The Chronicle

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The Golden State Warriors new Head Coach, Mark Jackson, shakes hands with his assistant coach, Michael Malone, left, before a press conference at the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco, CA Friday, June 10, 2011.

The Golden State Warriors new Head Coach, Mark Jackson, shakes hands with his assistant coach, Michael Malone, left, before a press conference at the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco, CA Friday, June 10, 2011.

Rowell was president for eight seasons and was with the Warriors in some capacity for 16. During that time, the Warriors went to the playoffs an NBA-low once and were known league-wide as a team of consistent drama and infighting, but they also consistently sold tickets and made money.

Rowell, once a powerful voice with Golden State, had been muted, especially since co-owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber were approved to buy the team in November. General manager Larry Riley is the last significant executive from Cohan's regime.

"We spent a lot of time evaluating this decision and believe that now is the appropriate time for the new ownership team to put our complete stamp on the entire organization," Lacob said in a news release. "We believe that previous ownership really put (Rowell) in a publicly challenging position over the past few years, and I have a great deal of respect for how he has conducted himself as a professional."

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The Warriors say Rowell "elected to step down." He will remain with the team on an interim basis to assist Lacob and Guber in the search for a replacement.

Rowell was at the team's practice facility Monday, when media members were allowed in for a news conference, and there was little indication that he was on his way out.

"I am thankful for the opportunity to have worked with the best, brightest and most dedicated staff in professional sports," Rowell said in a statement. "Together, we were able to achieve many of our business objectives and goals, and laid the framework for some of the future success of this franchise."

Few question Rowell's business savvy, but fan disgust seemed to grow the more involved he got with basketball decisions. He became the public scapegoat for the breakup of the "We Believe" team that upset top-seeded Dallas in the 2007 playoffs.

Rowell declined the contract extension for Baron Davis, allowing the point guard to bolt for Los Angeles. Rowell inexplicably gave Stephen Jackson a three-year, $27 million extension in 2008, when the volatile swingman had two years remaining on his contract. Rowell also held the option of voiding Monta Ellis' contract over Ellis' head, something that still haunts the guard three years after his 2008 moped accident.

In his most spotlighted moment with the organization, Rowell publicly feuded with then-GM Chris Mullin and then-head coach Don Nelson about Ellis. They didn't think Ellis' accident was that significant. Rowell disagreed.

"Chris Mullin made it perfectly clear to both Mr. Cohan and myself that he didn't think this was a big deal at the beginning. And we happen to think it's a very big deal," Rowell said in 2008. "We happen to think that it's a big deal for our fans, it's a big deal for our season-ticket holders, it's a big deal for our business partners, it's a big deal for the Warriors' organization."

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Rowell's era

Robert Rowell began with the Warriors as the assistant controller in 1995. He was president for the past eight seasons - seven under Chris Cohan's ownership and one under the Joe Lacob/Peter Guber regime:

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